The Rolex reference 6062 is unarguably one of the most sought-after wristwatch models of all times. Featuring an automatic movement with triple calendar and moon phases, it is one of the contenders to the title of most complicated vintage Rolex wristwatch - the other candidates being the triple calendar chronograph "Killy" models, and the sister reference 8171 - this latter sharing with its sibling the complications but not the iconic (and waterproof!) Oyster case.


In production form 1950 to 1953, the model was a very unusual proposition from the brand. Rolex was historically focused on tool watches, a vocation that had been steadily growing since Mercedes Gleitze's historical 1932 channel crossing. In fact, the 1950s were a decade which witnessed the birth of many of Rolex's most iconic models, all of them tool or sport pieces: the Submariner, the GMT-Master, the Milgauss... A complicated wristwatch was not- and it still is not today - what Rolex's main efforts were focused on. As such, Rolex's clients were not extremely enticed by such an uncommon offer, sales lingered and as a consequence the model is one of the scarcest in the entire history of the brand. Today, about 110 examples overall have appeared on the market and the total production is estimated to be between 500 and 1000 pieces.


Possibly in order to try and boost sales, three different metals (yellow gold, pink gold, and steel) approximately six dial configurations are known for the model. The most sought-after one, found in about half of the known examples, is the one with star indexes (with luminous material found either inside the indexes or next to them), which gives the reference its nickname “Stelline”, Italian for "little stars”, but the model can also mount "triangle" dials (featuring triangular markers), the so-called "Explorer" dials featuring Arabic numerals at 3 and 9 o'clock - these latter ones found mostly, but not exclusively, on steel examples - pyramid markers ( the so-called "Egyptian" dials) and the “Dagger” (or “Lys”, or “Drop”) indexses.
And yet, the present example does not conform to any of the previous designs, so much so that the first impression of the Phillips office was that we are in the presence of a service dial. This proved not to be the case.
The present piece, offered by its original owner, is one of three identical watches acquired new in 1964 at Gübelin by three brothers. In fact, while one of the three siblings sold his watch long ago, the second example remains with its owner to this day and, as illustrated, it looks exactly as the present third specimen.
It is more than likely that these watches sold in 1964 - about a decade after the discontinuation of the model in 1953 - after languishing in the inventory for such a long time were eventually given this soleil dial in an effort (quite successful, as it turns out) to modernize their looks and make them more appealing to the 1960s taste. As a result, this is one of the exceedingly rare - in fact, so far only the aforementioned three are known for certain - examples of ref 6062 originally born and sold with a soleil dial, propelling the present piece to the top rarity tier when it comes to 6062 declinations and also changing scholarship.
Interestingly, while the luminous accents consist of tritium, the Swiss designation is the standard one found on radium dials. This is understandable as, in 1964, Rolex had just made the switch from radium to tritium (the previous year), thus it is more than likely that they would use the stock “swiss” dials and simply update the luminous paste to tritium.